TV Unit and Display Unit: One Piece or a Matching Pair?
You can house your TV and the things you want on show with one combined wall unit or with a TV unit paired with one or two separate display units. The right choice depends on your wall, what you own and how long you plan to keep the room set up this way. Whichever way you go, the pieces need to fit the wall, hold the right things and look like they belong together.
This guide covers the difference between the pieces, how to choose between one unit and two, what storage to look for, how to size them for your wall and how to make separate pieces match.
What's the difference between a TV unit and a display unit?
A TV unit is a low cabinet that holds your screen and everything plugged into it. A display unit is a taller piece with shelves, and sometimes glass-fronted cabinets, made for showing things off.
TV units are also called entertainment units or TV stands. They're wide and low, usually with drawers and cabinets for devices. The Margaret TV Unit, for example, is 450 mm high.
Display units include bookshelves and display cabinets. They're built upward rather than outward. The Margaret Book Shelf stands 1800 mm high.
A wall unit combines both jobs in one piece that spans the wall.
If you have little to display, a TV unit with a few pieces styled on top can be enough. If you have books, collections or photos to show, a display unit gives them a proper home. At Adore Home Living, you'll find the two categories under TV Units in Perth and Modern Wall & Display Units in Perth.
Should I pair my TV unit with a wall or display unit, or use it on its own?
A TV unit on its own needs less wall and leaves you one piece to buy, style and secure. Adding a display unit gives you dedicated shelves and drawers for books and decor, but it needs more wall and adds a second piece to coordinate and anchor.
| TV unit on its own | TV unit with a display unit | |
|---|---|---|
| Wall length | The Margaret TV Unit takes 2.1 m | With one Margaret Book Shelf, 3.5 m; with one on each side, 4.9 m |
| Storage | Cabinets, shelves and drawers for media devices, remotes and accessories | Adds open shelves and lower drawers for books, plants and decorative accents |
| Display space | The top holds your TV and decor | A dedicated piece for showing things off |
| Matching | One piece, nothing to coordinate | Two pieces to coordinate, by buying from one range such as the Margaret Living & Dining Collection or using custom finishes (fees may apply) |
| Safety | TV units are covered by the toppling warning standard at any height | Display cabinets and bookcases 686 mm or taller are covered too, and at 1800 mm the Margaret Book Shelf is one of them. That's a second piece the ACCC's toppling guide recommends securing to the wall. |
Pairing is also a design direction worth knowing about. Houzz's 2026 US design trends forecast names multifunctional walls that combine TV zones with open and closed storage. If your wall has the length and you have things to show, a display unit makes the most of it. If wall space is tight or you mostly need somewhere for the TV and devices, a TV unit on its own does the job.
Should I get one combined wall unit or a TV unit with a separate display unit?
Choose a combined wall unit if you have one dedicated wall and want a single, built-in look. Choose separate pieces if you want the freedom to rearrange, take the furniture to your next home or spread storage around the room.
What do my TV unit and display unit actually need to hold?
Write a list before you shop. Your TV unit needs closed storage and cable openings for your devices. Your display unit needs the right mix of open shelves and closed storage for what you want to show.
What should a TV unit hold?
Start with the devices. In 2025, 74% of Australian adults lived in a household with only a smart TV, up from 40% in 2020. If yours is a smart-TV household, you'll need space for streaming boxes, sound bars and cable management.
Look for:
- Drawers and cabinets for remotes and anything you'd rather not see.
- Open shelving to organise media devices, remotes and accessories.
- Cable management: openings that keep cords tidy and out of sight.
The Denmark TV Unit has drawers, cabinets and open shelving, with "thoughtfully placed openings" to keep cords hidden. The Helga TV Unit adds built-in LED lighting and multiple storage compartments.
What should a display unit hold?
Think about what you'll display and how you want it to look. Open shelves suit books, plants and decor you'll swap around. Lower drawers or cabinets hide the things that don't need to be on show.
The Margaret Book Shelf combines several open shelves with lower drawers. It pairs a clean shape with asymmetrical shelving for a stylish and versatile look.
How big should my TV unit and display unit be for my wall?
Measure your wall first, then add up the lengths of every piece plus the gaps you want between them. We haven't found an official guideline for how much wider than your TV the unit should be.
Here's how the numbers add up with real pieces:
- The Margaret TV Unit is 2100 mm long, 450 mm deep and 450 mm high.
- The Margaret Book Shelf is 1400 mm long, 380 mm deep and 1800 mm high.
- One of each, side by side, needs 3.5 m of wall before you allow any breathing room.
- A shelf on each side of the TV unit needs 4.9 m.
For comparison, the Denmark TV Unit is 2400 mm long and the Helga TV Unit is 2000 mm long.
How do I make a TV unit and display unit look like they go together?
You can buy both from the same range or use custom finishes on some pieces to help pieces from different ranges work together.
Buying from the same range
The Margaret TV Unit goes with other pieces in the Margaret Living & Dining Collection:
- The Margaret TV Unit has a natural wood finish.
- The Margaret Book Shelf is engineered wood finished in Marri veneer. Marri is a Western Australian timber, and Adore describes the veneer finish as delivering the warmth and character of natural timber with enhanced durability.
Coordinating pieces from different ranges
Custom finishes can help pieces from different ranges work together:
- The Helga TV Unit can be custom ordered with a ceramic top to match Adore's ceramic dining and living ranges.
- The Margaret TV Unit offers custom finishes.
Fees may apply to both. Adore offers custom orders on many ranges.
What should I check before I order?
Before you order, make sure the pieces fit the wall, hold what you own and look like they belong together.
It can help to see timber tones, veneers and high-gloss finishes in person, especially when you're matching two pieces. You can see them side by side at Adore Home Living's showrooms in Jandakot, Cannington, Malaga and Rockingham. The team there can help with design advice, choosing pieces and custom orders.
If you're still weighing up one unit against two, or how a pair will sit on your wall, Adore Design Services offers advice in-store, in your home or by phone. The in-home consultation fee is $199 and is deductible with purchases over $2,000.
Stock is held locally in Perth. Standard delivery is a ground-floor drop-off without assembly or packaging removal. For a tall display unit, the optional White Glove Service (priced on request) covers delivery, unpacking, assembly, placement and packaging removal.